#Gates50States

Jenn’s General Rules for Vacation Planning

• Consider Open Jaw Tickets

  • Open jaw airline tickets (flying into one city and out of another) are the single most helpful tool I utilize to maximize time in each state. Western states especially have so much demanding to be experienced, yet drive times can be extensive between sites. Do yourself a favor and be open to the possibility of starting one place and ending in another. Anymore, oneway tickets pieced together aren’t that much more costly than roundtrip.  And consider the value of your time.
• Consider Vacation Time Available and Be Creative
  • Ryan didn’t feel comfortable leaving the clinic for more than 10 days at the height of the busy season for our most recent trip to ID, MT, and WY, but we really couldn’t squeeze in quality time in all three states in that amount of time. Our solution – I flew out 5 days earlier with the kids and Grandma L so we could have some additional time in Southern Idaho and Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. I probably would have done it even if my mom couldn’t accompany us, but I may have been short a kid by the time Ryan got there:) Just sayin’.
• Plan Early
  • If it wasn’t already readily apparent, I take my travel planning very
    
    seriously. Although I’ve been known to throw together the occasional last-minute trip (see The New River, West Virginia side trip) when grandparents offer to keep the kids, I much prefer to start the research phase 12-14 months in advance. I know, it seems like overkill, but I prefer to have all my transportation and lodging options open. Changing plans at a later date if something more appealing arises is embraced, but I prefer to have have a stellar backup plan in place. Choosing transportation and lodging options with generous cancellation policies helps clear the way for adjustments in the itinerary as the vacation approaches.
• Choose Quality vs Quantity Every Time
  • There are so many amazing things to do in every state. It’s really hard for me to narrow it down to fit into a 7-14 day stint. 

    

    If you only have a few days to spend in a state, then make those days count and stop feeling guilty about it. We’re giving our kids a peak at each state with the hope they’ll explore those that interest them on their own when they leave us.
  • Be open to unplanned opportunities that arise.  As we passed through Missoula, MT, we learned of a smokejumper training exercise that was about to happen.  While we attempted to discern where best to watch from, by chance Ryan came across the wife of one of the jumpers who led us to the field where they were to land.  How could we have planned that?  And what a shame if we’d been so locked into a schedule that we missed out on such a cool opportunity.
• Plan Down Time

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    Especially if you’ve got kids.  Ryan and I like to go pedal-to-the-metal when we’re traveling.  During our Zion trip, we hiked 30 miles in 3 days.  But our kids just aren’t up for that at this stage of their lives.  They prefer killing a few hours splashing in a stream, lake, river or any other water source.  And when we were at Disney, they needed to nap to avoid being absolute basket cases in the evenings.
  • Down time can serve as a buffer, as well, for those spontaneous moments you don’t want to pass up.